As my representative in Federal Parliament, as well as the Minister for Social Services, I implore you to speak out against the idea of abolishing bulk billing for Medicare. The idea is utterly appalling, and its justifications are spurious. To say that people have to "take responsibility for their health" by NOT going to a doctor is completely backwards. Going to the doctor is exactly what one SHOULD do as part of being responsible for one's health. As for the so-called "budget blowout", you, as Minister for Social Services, should be aware that a healthy nation is a prosperous nation. And prevention is not only better than cure, it is less costly. Therefore, if the government wishes to save money, they should *encourage* people to go to the doctor when they feel sick, rather than *dis*courage them. Sick people make other people sick. And sick-days cost productivity. And it also puts a strain on Social Services when the vulnerable people - for whom YOU are responsible, as Minister - cannot freely and easily access health care.

Please put a stop to this penny-pinching stupidity.

Thank you.

Considering that my last letter to a politician was completely ignored and unacknowledged, I expect this is a pointless exercise, but at least I feel a little less like exploding in all directions.

Exactly the consequences you describe are what we have to put up with in the US.

It makes me wonder why your country is heading in that direction: ask yourself if some politicians may not be getting a little too cozy with international pharmaceutical companies and private insurance carriers. They are the ones who are holding up sensible medical care in this country, and trying to get rid of the little bit of progress that's been made.

(After all, if people are encouraged to avoid preventive care, then a good percentage of them are going to need expensive medications.)

Oh, I don't need to ask myself: the current government is arse-kissing big business of all sorts, it's pretty clear. That's perfectly in line with the Liberal Party's longstanding philosophy(*), but they haven't been this blatant the previous times they've been in government. It doesn't help that it was basically the Murdoch press that put them into power this time around, and the Murdoch yellow journalism which keeps on being biased in their direction. Hence they've already attacked the ABC for "bias" (which means "not being the propaganda arm of the government") because the ABC is seen by Murdoch as competition.

I mean, I knew that this current government's period of power would be something to be endured, but even I had not imagined how brazenly they would try to demolish everything I love about my country.

(*) To explain: the "Liberal Party" in Australia is NOT liberal. They are conservative. Hence in Australia we refer to "small-l liberal" and "large-l Liberal". Think "libertarian" when Aussies refer to "the Liberals". Not that they're actually libertarian, but the two have the same roots: less government, more privatisation. The Liberal Party is all about BUSINESS, while the Labor Party have traditionally been about THE WORKERS (though of late they've not been holding to that very well) and the Greens are, as one would expect, about THE ENVIRONMENT. Not that the Greens have much power, I think they have like one seat in the House of Reps, but they tend to have the balance of power in the Senate, so they do manage to do some good.

They are talking about exacting a fee just to visit a doctor here in Britain. I hope it doesn't ever bear fruition as paying for prescriptions is bad enough. Ironically if they do go ahead with it, it is going to work out cheaper to take one of our cats to the vet than to see the doctor myself.